Korean Food - Winning Hearts Riding the Hallyu, the impressive K-pop culture wave, Korean food has won the hearts and bellies of the food world. For Etihad in-flight magazine, August 2016. Korean fried chicken (or cauliflower, in some circles) is widely hyped as the new KFC. While Colonel Sanders may need to spill the 11 [...]

A Vegetarian's Guide to Chennai - Food of the South Chennai market A return to the Motherland - Chennai, India. For TASTE Magazine. It dawns on me at the Georgetown market in Chennai, that the locals find me perplexing. Amid ox-drawn carts piled with fresh vegetables, the vendors sit cross-legged in front of [...]

Bharatanatyam in Chennai, Rhythm City The ancient art of classical Bharatanatyam dance has undergone a revival. Ishay Govender-Ypma returns to her ancestral roots in Chennai, India to explore further. For Singapore Airlines Priority Club magazine. Her dark eyes are lined thickly in kohl, intimating the drama of a doe trapped in tragic light. She is [...]

Chennai Food Guide Formerly Madras, the capital of Tamil Nadu, Chennai is known for its conservatism, fiery Chettinad curries, vegetarian thalis and milky Madras coffee. For Fine Dining Lovers It’s in Chennai that I start to appreciate the Asian preference for not just the savoury breakfast, but also the spicy one of idlis (fermented rice [...]

Mumbai Street Food Guide – Snacks & the City A diverse ethnic and cultural spread gives Mumbai its unique flavour. While the culinary trend is a growing high-end offering, Ishay Govender-Ypma got to grips with the city’s popular street food fare. For Etihad inflight mag Jan 2015 On the Road Gingerly, I step forward and [...]

Goa - A Basic Guide Why Goa? The behemoth Indian subcontinent can take years, if not longer to get to grips with, to traverse and savour. In contrast, Goa, India’s smallest state allows you to cover its length in a day. That’s if you’re in a hurry. This article appeared in The National By the time [...]

Goa, Short Stay - Things to See & Do Goan nights on the beach Travelling across India's smallest state in a few days. What to do in Goa, on a quick stop. For The National UAE, 18 December 2014. Why Goa? The behemoth Indian subcontinent can take years, if not longer to get to grips [...]

Mumbai City Food Guide - a Selection of my Favourites snacks in Nariman Point Mumbai is, as author Suketu Mehta points out, a “maximum city”. The same applies to the taste profile from street food to international fine dining: bold, varied, endless, exacting, with an emphasis on maximum flavor. This Mumbai City Food Guide [...]

Dining in Dubai - the Real Food of Dubai This article appears in Good Taste SA, June 2014 Packing your bags with the appropriate attire for dining in Dubai can be a nerve-wracking experience. It isn’t about knowing when it’s appropriate to show a little skin, and how much, in this the largest of the [...]

Tel Aviv Food - City of Contrasts - for Woolworths Taste Magazine March 2014 Steadfastly independent, Tel Aviv remains a wondrous Israeli anomaly. The city is a composite of liberal attitudes, chic café-lined boulevards, rowdy bars and the evergreen staples of its multi-ethnic immigrant population. I went to get a closer look at the food [...]